United States

James S. Russell walks the new memorial at the World Trade Center site, and finds it "a place of quiet dignity" that is saddled with an unnecessary $300 million museum and visitors center.

September 6, 2011 - Bloomberg

The debate may be as old as the first environmental regulation on the federal books - do regulations kill jobs? Fresh from a Sept. 2 victory over EPA's attempt to strengthen smog regulations,Republicans will continue the effort to reduce regulations

September 6, 2011 - The New York Times - Business Day

The Obama administration has pumped $2.5 billion in stimulus funds into the advanced battery industry, with the goal of creating manufacturing jobs. But will supporting green cars mean supporting sprawl in the long-term?

September 4, 2011 - Think Progress

Net lease investors see drugstores as solid, no-nonsense investments, and with an unstable market that's music to an investor's ears.

September 4, 2011 - Retail Traffic Magazine

Any prospect for the green initiatives to produce desired results requires more than just aggressive reduction targets, according to The Economist. It comes down to scope and suitability, the two factors that vary greatly from city to city.

September 4, 2011 - The Economist

President Obama has directed EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to drop proposed regulations that would have reduced ozone (smog), handing a victory to Republicans and industry that had opposed them, to the dismay of the environmental community.

September 3, 2011 - Bloomberg News

With same-sex couples coming out in record-breaking number on the 2010 Census, West Hollywood and San Francisco are dethroned as the meccas of gay cities - at least for those who chose to settle down.

September 3, 2011 - The New York Times

In a bold move to secure its place as the bastion of sustainability, Seattle sets out to build a series of the "greenest commercial building on earth."

September 2, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

Kevin Klinkenberg looks at the fear of "alternative lifestyles": that is, those who rent.

September 2, 2011 - New Urbanism Blog

With high scores in five broad categories, Melbourne, Australia received the highest spot in livability rankings from The Economist's research unit.

September 2, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Congress is likely to stop funding Save America's Treasures, a project that had contributed hundreds of millions of dollars for historic preservation efforts.

September 2, 2011 - The Art Newspaper

Recognizing that the overdue transportation reauthorization bill would not pass Congress by Sept. 30, resulting in the expiration of the 18.4 cent gas tax, President Obama called upon Congress to pass a 'clean', extension of undetermined length.

September 1, 2011 - D.C. Streetsblog

Are skyscrapers the way to achieve great density, or a form of retro-urbanism that should be retired? With a debate simmering in the planning world over the energy efficiency and urban necessity of tall towers, Planetizen's staff decided to determine the answer once and for all.

September 1, 2011 - Tim Halbur

Libertarians opposition toward government backed light-rail ignores the longer history of government's pro-car policies, says Timothy B. Lee, contributor for Forbes.

September 1, 2011 - Forbes

Minorities comprise in 2010 more than half the population in 22 of the largest metro areas in and 98 percent population growth in large metro areas from 2000 to 2010, a recent report by The Brookings Institute shows.

August 31, 2011 - The Brookings Institution

Urban infill housing is becoming a major part of business for large homebuilders, even those building modular homes.

August 31, 2011 - Builder

Graphic designer Tor Weeks captures the essence of the bicycle culture in San Francisco by classifying the types of bikes by neighborhood.

August 30, 2011 - The Huffington Post

Minorities are becoming the majority in the United States, and the shift is most pronounced in populations under one year of age.

August 30, 2011 - The Brookings Institution

The annual Burning Man festival is underway in Nevada, and this piece from The New York Times looks at the urban plan that undergirds the event.

August 30, 2011 - The New York Times

Last year, developer KB Homes began putting an Energy Performance Guide (EPG) label on every home they build. Is this an idea who's time has come?

August 29, 2011 - Builder Magazine